Furnace of locomotive-engines



NITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD GILL AND GEO. IV. GRIER, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNAGE OF LOCOMO TIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,867, dated July 26, 1859.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, BICI-IARD GILL and GEORGE W. GRIER, both of Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improve ment in the Boilers of Coal-Burning Locomotives; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a longitudinal vertical section of the fire box of a locomotive, taken in the line m, Fig. 2, and showing our invention. Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical section of ditto, taken in the line y, y, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention relates to a novel, simple and economical means for introducing atmospheric air in small jets, and directly over the fire into a bituminous coal-burning fire box or furnace, whereby all inflammable gases within the fire box or furnace, involved by the combustion or rather by the imperfect combustion of the coal, will be mixed to a point of saturation, with the airand at an igniting temperature, previous to leaving the fire box, and as early as possible after the gas is evolved from the fuel so that the greatest quantity of heat may be obtained from a given quantity of fuel.

The invention consists in having an air chamber provided with a series of tubes placed within the fire box or furnace and used in connection with a water deflector or deflectors with a series of air openings through them substantially as hereinafter fully shown and described, 'whereby the desired end is attained.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct our invention we will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the fire box -of a locomotive which may be of usual form and B, is an air chamber which is of curved form and projects over the body of the fuel or fire at a suitable distance above it and extends nearly to the front end of the fire box, a draft space C, being allowed between, as shown clearly in Fig l. The air chamber B, is double walled and its sides are formed of water deiiectors D, D, in which tubes a, are fitted, which tubes form a communication between the air chamber and the lire box. The water space in the deflectors D, D, communicate with the boiler E, bymeans of passages F, and the air chamber B, may be divided into two compartments by a longitudinal plate Inf-each compartment communicating with the external air at separate points o, CZ, the orifices being inclosed by valves e, f, as shown plainly in Fig. l.

G, H, I, represent water detlectors which are placed in the barrel J, above and back of the air chamber, and at varying distances from the top of the barrel. These deflectors are hollow and form water chambers which communicate with the boiler E, by means of tubes g. The defiectors as well as the water chambers D, D, may be of metal of suitable thickness.

The air chamber B, extends entirely across the fire box directly over the fire and the tubes a, are quite small about a quarter of an inch in diameter, consequently a large number of them may be employed. We prefer having the sides of the air chamber B, formed of water chambers and also having the deflectors G, H, I, formed of water chambers, all communicating with the boiler E, thereby increasing the heating surface of the same and at the same time protecting the defiectors and air chamber from the heat.

The tire is supplied with air for ordinary combustion through the door K, and grate K, and the unconsumed gases that arise from the fire are mixed with air which passes through the tubes a, from the air chamber B. The supply of air from B, may be regulated as desired by adjusting the valves c, f, which may be done automatically, and the gas being mixed at a proper temperature with said air will be consumed. The deiectors G, H, I, give a sinuous course to the air and gas in the barrel and cause the same to be thoroughly mixed and insure the perfect combustion of the gas.

In consequence of having the air chamber project over the fire and provided with a larger number of small eduction tubes a, a large quantity of air can be admitted into the fire box immediately over the fire with less tendency to cool the temperature of the same than by admitting it as hitherto either through the fire door K, the side of the fire box, or the front end. If the air is ad mitted at the sides, the gas emitted from the fuel at the center of the flame or fire passes 0H' unmixed With air to the flue sheet, While that at the sides, probably receives too much air. If the air is admitted altogether at the fire door end of the box, the gas from twothirds of the grate passes With the strong draft to the flue sheet in advance of the air, thus avoiding the mixture and saturation necessary to cause combustion. If admitted close to the opposite end of the box it comes in contact With the gas too near the flue sheet and has necessarily no time allowed it to mix and complete its combustion but is dashed in an instant to the flue sheet Where it has no chance of success to meet the end for which it Was introduced, but merely cools down the gas With Which it comes in contact Without igniting it, and is thus made to absorbv instead of increasing the temperature of the furnace.

-We do not confine ourselves to the precise construction and arrangement of the air chamber B, as herein shown and described for it may be varied considerably and the same effect obtained. The object is to introduce the air -to the fire in small jets directly over the re in order to attain the desired end.

We do not claim broadly the employment' or use of deflectorsirrespective of their arrangement and connection With the airchamber.` Neither do We claim admitting atmospheric air Within the fire box for the purpose of consuming the gases therein, irrespective of the means employed for such purpose, but

What We do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

In combination With theV fire box of a coal burning locomotive boiler, a Water deflector having a series of small openings through it, and extending up over the lire as represented and an air passage, behind or over it, which communicates With the external air, for the purpose of introducing atmospheric air in small jets over thelire, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

RICHARD GILL. GEO. W. GRIER. Witnesses:

BENJ. F CUSTER, Y WM. BOYDEN. 

